It is known in the art to divide a carcass of slaughtered poultry, after evisceration, into a first part which comprises the breast (in particular, the first part is a breast cap) and a second part which comprises the legs and a part of the upper back. The first part is subsequently attached to a product carrier which engages the inside of the carcass part. Afterwards, the first part of the carcass is conveyed by this product carrier along one or more processing stations. The second part of the carcass is conveyed, hanging by its legs, along one or more processing stations.
After the division, the second part of the carcass thus still comprises a piece of the upper back. Products such as chicken legs, drumsticks, thigh pieces or skinned leg meat are usually made from the second part. Before these products can be made, the back piece has to be removed because it cannot remain attached to these products. Therefore, usually the back piece is cut away from a second part of the carcass of this type. Afterwards, the remaining part is split in two before the separate leg parts are processed further to form, for example, chicken legs, drumsticks and/or thigh pieces.
In the above-described known method, the back skin which is present on the upper back remains attached to the back meat. Subsequently, the back pieces comprising the back skin are sold as a separate product or supplied for further processing, for example to form convenience products.
The above-described method is not satisfactory. The end products obtained yield insufficient economic value.